– 2000 Founded Pink Pistols
About Doug Krick
Doug Krick, known in activist circles as “Krikket,” was a libertarian activist originally from Illinois who founded the Pink Pistols in Massachusetts in July 2000. The group was inspired by a March 14, 2000, Salon article by journalist Jonathan Rauch arguing that gay Americans should arm themselves for self-defense. Krick turned the idea into an organization that welcomes LGBTQ gun owners and their allies, encourages training and safe firearm ownership, and argues that people who are targeted for violence have the most reason to be able to defend themselves. Its motto is “Pick on someone your own caliber.”
The Pink Pistols grew to at least 45 chapters in 33 states and three countries by 2014. Membership surged after the June 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, rising from about 1,500 to 4,500 in a single week and passing 9,000 by April 2017. In 2018 the group merged with Operation Blazing Sword, and Erin Palette became president that September. Krick died on October 19, 2018. The Pink Pistols remain a distinctive part of the gun rights movement, showing that the right of self-defense crosses political and cultural lines.
Key Facts
- March 14, 2000: Jonathan Rauch’s Salon article inspires the group
- July 2000: Doug Krick founds the Pink Pistols
- 2014: At least 45 chapters in 33 states and three countries
- June 2016: Membership triples in the week after the Orlando shooting
- 2018: Merger with Operation Blazing Sword; Erin Palette becomes president (September 23)
- October 19, 2018: Doug Krick dies
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